Bed-couch



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J'. C. WOOD.

(No Model.)

BBD COUGH.

No. 559,834. Patented May 12, 1896.

2 Sheets- Sheetl 2. J. C. WOOD.

ING Modem BBD COUGH.

No. 559,834. Patented May l2, 1896.

JAMES C. lYOOD, Ol? LOS :i Fries.

Arnrir ANGELES, cALmonNIA.

eeD- coUoi-i.

SPECIFICATION forming part o f Letters Eatent No. 559,834, dated May 12,1896.

Application filed November 12, 189 5.

To @ZZ whom t 12mg/ concern.:

-lle it known that l, JAMES O. WOOD, a cilixcn of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bed-Couches, ofwhich the following is a speciication.

My invention relates particularly to that class of bed-couches in whicha base is arranged to serve as a receptacle either for a supplementalfolding sectiomwhen the device is made of three sections arrangedto havethe bed 1n ade up transverse the length of the couch, or for bedclothes,when the device is made of two folds and arranged to have the length ofbed parallel with the length of the couch. In `bed-couches of this classas heretofore constructed the only provision for holding theseat-section and back-section from tilting too far to the rear when theseat-section is raised to allow access to the base has been a cordconnecting the seatseetion with the base. The weight of the back nearlybalances the lease, and unless the operator uses great care the backoverhalances and the whole device upsets.

One object of my invention is to provide an automatic device which willunfold a leg to support the back and seat sections when the seat israised to gain access to the base and will also unfold the leg tosupport Ithe hack-section when such section is lowered to 'form a hed.One especial disadvantage of lied-couches which are composed of a hase,a scat-section hinged to the back of the base, and a supplementalsection hinged to the front ot the hase an d arranged to fold thereintoand to unfold therefrom is that so far as 1 amv aware no leg has yetbeen devised which will automatically and nnfailingly open and lock inposition to support the supplemental section in its unfolded positionand unlock and close when the supplemental section is folded into thehase. l am aware that many devices have been 'invented for this purpose,and 1 have placed in use a large number of couches provided with variousautomatic legs; but thus far I have found none which are nnl'ailing inoperation. This is highly objectionable, and has been the canse of muchannoyance.

Another object of my invention is to pro- Serial No. 568,731. (No modelavide for the auxiliary section of hed-cor. ches an automatic folding legwhich will be cheap and simple in construction and unfailing in d itsoperation. In constructinghed-couches having a back and seat sectionhinged to each other and a supplemental section arranged to fold intothe hase difficulty has been experienced in making the couch of sufcientlength without giving it when folded proportions which make itinconvenient in use and odd in appearance-*that is to say, it has beennecessaryr to make the seat unusually wide or the hack unusually high inorder that when the supplemental section is unfolded to form the footportion of the hed and the back has been lowered to form the headportion of the loed the bed thus formed may he of the usual length ofbeds.

A further object of my invention is to provide a bed-couch which, whenfolded, will Vhave its seat and back sections of the ordinary width andheight, but will have a footsection of extra width, so that when thecouch is unfolded the hed thus formed will be of the usual length andwhen folded will not he odd or unsightly in appearance nor inconvenientin use.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved mode ofhinging the supplemental section to the lease in such a manner that thehinges may be entirely concealed from view and that portion of theupholsten ing which covers the hin lge-j oint be prevented from wearingmore than the rest of the npholstering.

A further object of my invention is to so hinge the legs which supportthe back-section that when the legs are unfolded they will abut directlyagainst a solid frame and no strain whatever will be placed yupon thehinges.

My invention comprises the various features of construction andcombinations of parts hereinafter setforth and claimed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure l is a side view of my improved bed-couch unfolded lo form a bed.This view is looking from that end of the couch which is at the right inFig. 4. Fig. i is a view of my improved device with the seat and backtilted to allow access to t-he base. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on lineindicated by 3 3, Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a front view of the device folded toform a couch. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the same. Fig. G is an enlargedfragmental detail illustrating the manner of hinging the seatsection tothe base-section. Fig. iis `a detail of the automatic folding leg whichsupports the supplemental section. In this view the leg is shown in itsunfolded position. Fig. S is a view of the same in its folded position.Fig. f) is a view ot' the same, showing the leg unfolded and thegravity-latch engaging the inclined shoulder of the leg to overbalanceit to cause it to fold. Fig. l0 is a detail showing the manner of hinging the supplemental section to the base-section. Fig. 1l is a detailshowing the manner of ,hin ging the leg which supports the back-section,and Fig. 12 is an enlarged fraglnental sectional detail of the automaticdevice for supporting the back-section on line l2 12, Fig. 5.

In the drawings, A represents the base, and B is the supplemental orfoot section, which is arranged to fold into the base and to unfoldtherefrom. This section B is hinged to the front edge of the base A byhinges b. The front upper edge a of the base is provided with recessesa, arranged to chamber the joints b/ of the hinges, and such hinges arearranged with the joints chambered in the recesses and flush with thetop and front faces of the base, and the lining B, which is arranged tocover the bottom of the section B, is secured to the edge a. of the basesubstantially in line with the hinge-joints Zi. cover A', which coversthe front of the base, is brought up over the edge of the base and issecured thereto with its edge slightly overlapping the edge of thelining BJ, but substantially'in line therewith. The lining B" and thecover A are sewed together over the hinge-joint, so that when the couchis upholstered the hinge is concealed from view. By joining the liningand the cover substantially in line with the joints of the hinges whenthe section B is unfolded no strain is put upon the upholstering and itdoes not become torn, as it would were the joining made at any otherpoint; also by chambering the hingejoints in the recesses I avoid theusual projection of the joint, which causes the upholsterin g to quicklywear through. In order to insure that when the supplemental section isunfolded a support will be provided for it, I provide such section withmy improved automat-ic leg C. This leg is pivoted by one end to aframeCQ which frame is attached to the inside of the end of Ithe section B.This leg is provided with an inclined shoulder c, (see Figs. 7 and 9,)arranged near its upper end, and is also provided with asupporting-shoulder e', arranged below the pivotal point C ofthe leg. Agravity-latch D is pivoted by one end to the frame C and has its otherend arranged to fall by its own weight when the frame is reversed, andthe leg opens by its own weight, as shown in Fig. 7, and to rest Theupon the shoulder c and against the leg, thus to lock the leg in itsopen position. The end 0 of the frame forms a stop which prevents theleg from swinging too far outward.

D' is a stop for the gravity-latch D. iVhen the frame is reversed byreversing the section B in the act of folding it into the base, thegravity-latch D again falls, unlocking the leg, and engages the inclinedshoulder c and by its weight overbalances the leg and causes it to foldinto the frame. The baseAis made of unusual width, and the section B isalso made of unusual width and closely fits within the base. Theseat-section E is of the ordinary width, which is less than the width ofthe base, and such section is provided with rearwardly-projectin gmembers e, which are pivoted by hinges e" to the rear of thebasesection. By thisineans I am enabled to make the foot-section ofunusual width and yet to allow it to be readily folded-into and unfoldedfrom the base. This cannot be done without the rearward projection.

The back F is pivoted to the' rear of the seat-section, and this back isalso of the usual height of ordinary couch-backs, the extra lengthneeded for the bed being provided by the eXtra-wide foot-section B.

G is a supporting-frame,which is hinged. to the rear edge of thebase-section by means of hinges g, which are arranged upon the rear faceof both the frame and the base-section. The back F is provided with acleat f, which forms a stop beneath which the frame G rests, thus todetachably support the back rigid with relation to the seat-section.

The pivot e of the hinges e, which hinge 'the seat-section to the base,and the pivots g of the hinges which hinge the supportingframe to thebase are arranged in line with each other, so that the frame Gwill holdthe back rigid with relation to the seat-section; but the seat-sectionand the back section may both be tilted to the rear to uncover thebasesection, as shown in Fig. 2, thus to allow the foot-section to beunfolded from the base. In order to avoid the necessity of bending thehinges g or e" to bring their pivots in line with each other, I attachone leaf of each of the hinges e to the rear face of the base and securethe other leaf to the under face of one of the members e, (see Fig. 6;)also by this means of attachment I am enabled by unscrewing the screwswhich secure the hinge to the base to detach the seat-section from thebase-section, and while thus detached to upholster the seat and the backin the ordinaryv manner, after which the seat can be placed in positionon the base-section and quickly secured thereto.

It is desirable that a support be automatically unfolded to support theseat and back when the seat-section is lifted to allow access to thebase, in order that the device will not overbalance to cause breakage ofthe couch or hinges. To accomplish this end I hinge or pivot throughintermediate means suitable loo IIO

legs l-I to the base A. This means comprises the frame G, to the uppercross member G' of which I hinge the legs by hinges II, arranged uponthe rear face of such frame. One leaf 7a. of each hinge is secured tothe upper face of the frame, and the leg is secured to the other leaf h'of the hinge with its end 7L" arranged at a distance from the upper faceof the frame substantially equal, when the leaf is opened, to bring itsleaves at right angles to cach other to the thickness of the member Grof the frame, whereby when the leg is unfolded its end is firmly seatedbeneath the lower face of the frame to support it, and no strain isbrought upon the hinge. In order to automatically operate these legs, Ipivot or hinge an actuating-arm I to the base A by a hinge I', arrangedat a point below the pivotal point ot' the frame G and arrange thepivotal point 'L' of such hinge in line with the front or inner face ofthe arm I. The other end of this arm I pivot or hinge to the legs II byhinge I", arranged on the rear or outer face of such legs and also onthe rear face of the arm. By this peculiar manner of hin gin g, thepivotal points of the hinges II', I, and I"are thrown out of line witheach other, so that `when the seat and back sections are tilted backinto the position shown in Fie. 2 the tendency of the arm is to forcethe legs outward and into their unfolded position instead of inwardagainst the back, which would prevent the back from lowering.

lVhen it is desired to lower the back with relation to the seat, thesupporting-frame G is pulled outward to release it from the stop f andthe frame and back are lowered together, the frame sliding outward alongthe back and the actuating-'arm operating, as before described, to causethe legs to unfold to support the back. The cause of the frame slidingoutward along the back when the back is lowered with relation to theseat and remaining stationary with relation to the back when the backand seat are tilted together is that the pivotal points of the frame andof the seatsection are the saine, while the pivotal point of the back isin front and above the pivots of the frame and seat-section.

In order to prevent the frame from dropping when it is released from itsengagement with the stop f upon the back, I secure a cord .I to theupper edge of the back and lead it downward and around the member G ofthe frame, over a suitable pulley g" and inward, and attach the otherend to a spring K. By this means a yielding support is formed for theframe G, which holds such support iirmly in position beneath the stop,yet allows it to be readily drawn ont from the stop when the back islowered to form a bed, and also prevents the frame from falling whenreleased from the stop.

In Fig. it l have shown the seat-section extended at each end over thebase-section in order to hide the joint between the seat and base andallow a more artistic upholstering of the device than is possibleotherwise.

In practice, to unfold the device the seatsection and the bach-sectionare both tilted,

as shown in Fie. 2 the legs Il unfolding au C 3 C ZD tomatically tosupport the back. Then the supplemental section B is unfolded from thebase and the seat-section and the baelesection are again tilted forwardto bring'gthe seatsection upon the base. Then the frame G is releasedfrom the stop by pulling the frame outward, and the back is thuspermitted to lower, the frame sliding outward along the back as the backlowers and the legs automatically unfolding to support the back in itslowered position. Then this is done, the bed is ready to be made up. Byreason of the extraordinary width of the section B the length of thecouch thus unfolded is equal to that of an ordinary bed. Then the deviceis folded, the seat and back present the same appearance as an ordinarybed-couch, and all unsightly features are thereby avoided.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecu re by Letters Patent, is-

I. The combination of the reversible frame; the leg pivoted to the frameand arranged to swing and provided with the inclined shoulder; the latchpivoted by one end to the frame and having its other end arranged todrop to engage the leg and to lock it in its unfolded position, and,when the frame is reversed, to fall again st the inclined shoulder an dto overbalance the leg to cause it to close, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination, the base; the seat-section pivoted to the rear ofsuch base; the backsection pivoted to the seat-section and provided withthe stop; the support pivoted at one end to the base and having itsother end arranged to engage the stop to support the back, and to bereleased therefrom to allow the back to be lowered.

3. In a bed-couch, the combination of the base; the back-section pivotedthereto; the supportingframe pivoted to the top of the base by pivotsarranged at the rear of the pivots of the back-section, and arranged toengage with the back to support it in its raised position, and to bedisengaged therefrom to allow it to be lowered to form a bed; the legspivoted to the supporting-frame 5 and the operating-arm pivoted by oneend to the base below the pivotal point of the supportin frame, andhaving its other end pivoted to the legs below their pivotal point ofattachment to the frame.

4. In combination, the base; the seat-section of less width than thebase and pivoted by means of rearwardly-projecting members to the rearedge of the base; the back-section pivoted to the seat-section andproil'ided with the stop; the supporting-frame pivoted to the base andadapted to engage the stop to support the back, and to be releasedtherefrom IOO IIO

to allow the back to lower, and a suitable support arranged to supportthe back when lowered.

5. In combination, the base; the seat-section of less width than thebase and pivoted7 by means of rearwardly-projecting members7 to the rearedge of the base; the back-section pivoted to the seat-section; and thesupport pivoted to the rear edge of the base and adapted to engage theback-section to hold it rigid with relation to the seat-section, and tobe released therefrom to allow it to lower with relation thereto, and asuitable support arranged to support the back when lowered.

6. In combination, the base; the seat-section hinged to the base; theback-section hinged to the scat-section; suitable detachable meansarranged to hold the back and scat sections rigid with relation to eachother; and the legs pivoted through intermediate means to the base, andarranged to automatically unfold to support the back and seat sectionswhen the seat-section is raised to allow access to the base, and to alsounfold to support the back-section when such section is lowered to forma bed.

7. The combination of the base; the seatsection of less width than thebase, and having rearwardly-projeeting members pivoted to the rear edgeof the base; the foot-section of greater width than the seat-section,hinged by one edge to the front edge of the base and adapted to foldthereinto and to unfold therefrom; the back-section pivoted to theseatsection, and suitable supports arranged to support the back-sectionand the foot-section when the couch is unfolded.

8. The combination of the base; the seatsection pivoted to the base gthe back-section pivoted to the seat-section and provided with thesupporting-stop; the supporting-frame pivoted to the base and. arrangedto rest against the stop to support the back-section, and to be releasedtherefrom; a leg pivoted by its upper end to the supporting-frame, andan operating-arm pivoted by one end to the base and having its other endoperatively connected with the leg to cause such leg to unfold tosupport the back when the back is lowered.

9. In combination, the base; the seat-section of less width than thebase and pivoted by means of projecting members to the rear edge of thebase; the back-section pivoted to the seat-section and provided with thestop; the supporting-frame pivoted to the rear edge of the base andarranged to engage the stop to hold the back rigid with theseat-section;

vthe legs pivoted to the frame; the actuatingarm pivoted at one end tothe base below the pivotal point of the frame, and also pivoted to thelegs below their pivotal point, and the supporting-cord secured by oneend to the upper part of the back-section, passed downward around theupper member of the supporting-frame, thence inward and having its otherend secured to a spring, substantially as set forth.

l0. The combination of the base; the footsection hinged by one edge tothe base and adapted to fold thereinto and to unfold therefrom; theseat-section of less width than the base and provided withrearwardly-projecting members pivoted to the rear edge of the base; theback-section pivoted to the seatsection and provided with the stop; thesupporting-frame pivoted to the upper rear edge of the base and arrangedto engage such stop and to hold the back rigid with relation to theseat, and to be released therefrom to allow the back to be lowered withrelation to the seat; the legs pivoted to the frame; and theleg-operating arm pivoted by one end to the base below the pivotal pointof the frame, and having its other end pivoted to the legs below theirpivotal point of attachment to the frame.

ll. The combination of the base having its upper front edge providedwith the hingejoint receiving recesses; the seat-section hinged to theback of the base; the supplemental section hinged by its lower rear edgeto the upper front edge of the base by hinges each arranged with itsjoint in one of the j oint-receiving recesses and fiush with the frontface of the base; the lining arranged to cover the bottom of thesupplemental section and having one edge secured to the upper edge ofthe base, substantially in line with the hinge-joints of the hingeswhich hinge the supplemental section to the base; the cover arranged tocover the front of the base; and having its upper edge secured to theupper edge of the base, substantially in line with the edge of thelining of the supplemental section, substantially as set forth.

12. In a bed-couch, the combination of the base; the supplemental orfoot section hinged to the front of the base to fold thereinto and tounfold therefrom, and provided with the pivoted legs and the automaticgravitycatches arranged to lock and unlock the legs; the seat-section ofless width than the base, pivoted by means of rearwardly-projectingmembers, to the rear edge of the base; the back-section pivoted to theseat-section, and automatic-legs arranged to unfold to support the backand seat section when the seat-section is raised to allow thesupplemental section to be removed from the base, and to also unfold tosupport the back when the back is lowered to form the bed.

13. The combination of the base; the seatsection of less width than thebase and hinged to the rear edge of the base by means of rearwardlyprojecting members; the back-section hinged to the seat-section andprovided with the stop; the supporting-framehinged to the rear of thebase-section; the legs hinged to the frame by hinges arranged upon thefront face of the legs and frame; the operating-arm having one endhinged to the base ICO IOS

IIO

by fr hinge having its pivot arranged in line with the front or innerfece of such erm 5 and its other end hinged to the legs by e hingearranged on the rear :Ea-Ce of such legs and arm, substantially :is setforth.

ll. The combination of tl1efran1e,thehinge having one leef secured tothe upper 'fece of Jdie freine, and the leg, secured to Jnhe other leafof the hinge with its end arranged at :L

1o distance from the upper falce of the iframe,

when the hinge is bent to bring its leaves at right angles to eachother, substantially equal to the thickness of the frame, whereby theend of the leg is rnily seated when in its unfolded position, beneaththe lower face of the i 5 frame, substantially as set forth.

JAMES G. VOOD.

Xllitlresses:

ALFRED I. TOWNSEND, JAMES R. TOWNSEND.

